


Coping

by D4ncingD4wn



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Bullying, Childhood Trauma, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Social Anxiety, Worried Parents, chatty judy, cute nicknames, learning to cope, quiet nick, selective mutism, social therapy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-15
Updated: 2016-03-19
Packaged: 2018-05-26 21:06:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6255802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/D4ncingD4wn/pseuds/D4ncingD4wn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when a quick-tongued fox cub refuses to speak?</p><p>A determined bunny refuses to be quiet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologo

Zootopia was a bustling city of lights and sound, but once the sun sank below the horizon, a fragile silence took over the cobblestone streets. Most animals wouldn't dwell outside late at night as they preferred to settle in their cozy homes to be with friends and family, and the nocturnals kept to themselves for fear of stirring trouble.

Not a cloud was in sight; the glittering night sky acting as a blanket over the golden city.  The cool night air was devoid of the telltale whistling as it swept between the tall buildings, and the utter silence of the usually bustling metropolis was only broken by a loud and sudden-

 BANG!

The door to the Junior Ranger Scouts flew open as a distressed young fox stumbled out into the night, shattering the once silent streets. He sank to his knees on the cold ground and pawed desperately at the muzzle trapping his jaw, leaving small bruises where the metal dug into his face. The straps stretched as he pushed it as hard as he could but it just snapped back into place.

He could feel his skin turning red from the pressure and panicked- pushing it in any direction he could to get the dreaded thing off. Finally, he succeeded, throwing the object as far away from himself as possible, but the momentary relief of the muzzle sliding off his face lasted only seconds before his hands started to tremble in fear.

This wasn't supposed to happen. His vision blurred with brimming tears as he slumped back against the brick steps. His mother always said when you're nice to others they’ll be nice to you. Did he do something wrong? Was it something he said?

 _Even though you’re a **fox**? _ He had never heard the word fox used with such disdain before. He couldn't get the voices out of his head. _If you thought we would ever trust a fox without a muzzle, you’re even dumber than you look!_

The sobs came loudly, he wailed until his throat grew sore. He still didn't understand what he did wrong. He had begged them to stop but they didn't listen, it didn't matter what he said.

He wiped furiously at the tears but they wouldn't stop. They only made him more angry because crying was stupid. He never should have opened his mouth about joining the scouts, this never would have happened if he had just been quiet. He was angry at himself for wanting to fit in, he was angry at his mom for telling him lies, and mostly he was angry that he actually believed they would let him be part of the group. 

His voice cracked mid wail and he clutched his own throat in pain. It hurt to breathe, it hurt to cry, it hurt to everything.

It _hurt_.

The young fox let out a small whimper, and it would be the last sound out of his mouth for a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi please read this author's note!
> 
> My name is Serena and this is my first work on Archive, welcome to my wish-fulfilment! I'm not sure the official age gap between Nick and Judy but I know it isn't what I've chosen for this fic eheh... Judy - 6 years old, Nick - 9 years old (8 years old in this prologue). This story will have many chapters and my summer break is just around the corner so expect much in the future!
> 
> Update: March 18th, 2016.
> 
> Hey guys, I've just edited this prologue with the help of my friend Sarah, hopefully it flows better now that it has been reworded and tweaked a bit.


	2. Metum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valerie did her best to raise her son to be polite because as a fox, he couldn't afford to be anything else.

Valerie Wilde was most definitely not stress-cleaning her apartment while her son was away.

After all, what did she have to worry about? Sure, her little boy was a bit cocky (she could blame that little trait on his father, but even the thought of that sly fox made her heart ache in the most frustrating way) but he was still the sweetest little fox and she was infinitely proud of him. She taught him table manners, made sure he always said please and thank you, she even coaxed him into making his bed every morning until it became a habit. Just the other night he offered to help make dinner; spicy sweet potato and green rice burrito bowls, topped with a homemade blueberry pie for dessert. She might not be made of money, but she knew how to work the sales at the food market around the corner. She definitely saw Nick pick a few blueberries when he thought she wasn't looking too. He's lucky he's cute.

Valerie did her best to raise her son to be polite because as a fox, he couldn't afford to be anything else.

She wasn't naive, she knew how her neighbourhood felt about her kind. It was hard enough being a single mom in a busy city, being a vixen as well meant that trouble stuck to you like glue no matter where you went. No matter how progressive this generation was getting, Nick could be a total saint and still she knew that he would inevitably have that moment.

Every fox felt that moment, hers came when she was younger than Nick.

She was an adorable little vixen back then with stars in her eyes. She didn't need much, being born poor with almost nothing gave her an appreciation for what she got. Her parents gave her everything she needed, the one thing she knew she could always provide to Nick: love. But love couldn't protect you from the self-righteous. She remembered that one day like it was yesterday, it was engraved in her mind forever. She was playing in the front yard when a couple of otters spotted her and thought it would be hilarious to see who could pull her tail hard enough until it came off. They didn't care that she hadn't done anything wrong, they didn't care that she was screaming in pain, they just held her down and pulled as hard as they could because she was a fox, and foxes were troublemakers. Never victims. They didn't deserve to be happy or to feel safe on their own front lawn in broad daylight.

Valerie scoffed at their twisted logic. She almost lost her tail that day, _would_ have lost it if her mother hadn't heard her screaming. She had few precious memories with her mother, but seeing her normally kind face twist in anger and yelling at those otters that they were 'sadistic lowlifes' definitely made the list. Her parents both loved her very much. but there was nothing they could have done to prevent what happened. The damage was done, both emotionally and physically. They tried the police but surprise surprise, they wouldn't listen. "She must have provoked them, it's in her nature." they said. Valerie remembered feeling ashamed, violated. She refused to even acknowledge that any of it happened but no amount of lies could cover up her visible anxiety any time she came across an otter in public. And sometimes even years later when Valerie sat down she could still feel the ache where her tail connected to her body.

She couldn't have been more than 6 years old when it happened. That was her moment. One day, no matter how much Valerie wished otherwise, Nick would have his moment too. Valerie had a bad feeling that that moment would come sooner than she thought.

She heard a crash and realized the plate that she had been subconsciously drying off for about five minutes slipped from her grasp and shattered on the floor. Cursing her carelessness, she knelt down to gingerly pick up the broken bits. She needed to calm down, Nick was much more clever than she was back then, not to mention older. Times were changing... Right?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her front door unlocking. Valerie's head snapped up and she smiled. Nick was home.

She waited until the door opened a bit then called out "Be careful Nicky, there's some glass on the floor and Mommy hasn't quite cleaned all of it yet."

She received no response. 

"Nick?" She tried again, looking up to see... That wasn't her son... Was it? It looked like her kit, but his usual smirk was missing. His eyes seemed a bit puffy and red, like he'd been crying. His green eyes were fixed to the floor and his fists were clenched at his sides. 

Valerie slowly stood and walked over to her son, not caring that she had nicked her feet on some glass and was leaving a little trail of blood in her steps. She knelt down before him and gently took his face in her hands, tilting it up so he was looking at her. It still didn't feel like he was actually seeing her though, more like he was looking straight through her. "Nicky, sweetheart, tell me what happened?"

Silence.

-

After one full day of Nick not speaking a word, Valerie decided it was time she paid a visit to the Junior Ranger Scouts. 

"Yes I know it's last minute Penny but I don't want him coming with me." She explained through the phone to her usual babysitter. "I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

_"Ms. Wilde, I know I'm probably the only babysitter in town who will look after your kit but I have plans for the day. Can't it wait? I'm sure he's fine, he gets sad sometimes just like every other 8-year-ol-"_

"Penny he isn't talking." she interrupted impatiently. "Nick hasn't spoken a single word in over 24 hours. I tried asking him nicely, I tried handing him a notepad and pen, I even tried bribing him with blueberries. Not a word. Now I need to find out what happened at this 'initiation' so I know what to do for my son. But I can't bring him back there, please Penny, we don't have anybody else."

The other line was silent for a moment before Penny's soft voice came through again, this time more gentle.  _"Ah, that's not good... I guess I can make it to your place in like, an hour? How long is this gonna take?"_

Valerie sighed long and hard. Good question. "Shouldn't take longer than 30 minutes, but I'll pay you for the full hour." She winced at how bad her wallet was screaming at her for saying that. "For the trouble."

_"You got it Ms. W."_

Penny showed up an hour after their conversation and they discussed payment since Valerie didn't like carrying cash on her person. Once they were done talking, Penny grabbed her arm (she did  _not_ flinch at that sudden physical contact absolutely not) and gave her a sympathetic look. "If they did something to little Slick because he's a... a fox... then make sure they regret it, eh?"

Valerie stared at the teenage moose in surprise, then placed her paw over Penny's and said "Darling, you don't need to tell me that."

The walk to Junior Ranger Scouts was thankfully short and didn't give Valerie enough time to over-think things. She kept her mind focused and took a deep breath before striding up the stairs and entering the building where  _something_ happened to her son. 

As soon as she set foot inside, she could feel dozens of pairs of eyes on her, the only predator. She took a quick scan of the room to assess any possible threats and gratefully found none, but there was no denying the tense air surrounding every parent in the main entrance. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a small zebra hide behind its mother when she walked past. She couldn't bring herself to care, for all she knew, that zebra could have done something to her little Nick.

"Excuse me?" the little sheep behind the front desk fretted as she pushed up her huge glasses. "Is there something I can do for you Miss...?"

"It's Wilde." 

Big Glasses jumped in her seat and stuttered. "I-I'm sorry?"

"My name. Valerie Wilde. With an 'e' at the end." she elaborated, clutching her purse a little tighter to her body. "I'm here to ask about what happened to my son Nick."

The sheep looked up at the fox nervously. "Um, I'm sorry but I don't understand what you're implying? You think something happened to _your_ son?"

Valerie fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Listen Big Glasses, I know as a little sheep this might be a bit hard for you to grasp, but just because my son is born a predator doesn't mean he's immune to bullying. I've been dealing with prey walking all over me, my parents, and even my ex husband. But two nights ago, my son - the only family I have left who doesn't see the world for the dumpster it really is yet - came home with no light left in his eyes so I suggest you start giving me the names of who was involved with that little initiation," she leaned forward, resting her arm on the front desk and invading Big Glasses' personal space. "Or I might just get the names myself. Got all that, little miss meek?"

Big Glasses gulped loudly. "Y-yes ma'am."

"Good, cause I'm on a tight schedule."

Big Glasses shuffled some papers, muttering something like 'glasses aren't that big', then she scanned through some names on a sheet of paper and looked up at someone behind Valerie's shoulder. "M-Mr. and Mrs. Z-Zacora, would you mind bringing Arbez h-here for a moment?"

Mr. Zacora certainly looked like he did mind. The young one was shaking pretty badly, as if he was being escorted to his own death. This made Valerie's hard expression soften somewhat, there was no point in being intimidating to a child who probably didn't even know what they were doing was wrong.  _Neither did the otters_  a nasty voice echoed in her mind. She did her best to ignore it.

"I understand that your s-son was present at this unofficial initiation Miss Wilde is speaking of." Big Glasses said meekly. "Could Arbez please... tell us what really happened?"

"What good would that do? There's no way my son was involved." Mr. Zacora snarled. "If this... _fox_... is done terrorizing my son then I'd like to leave."

Valerie walked right past Mr. Zacora. She wasn't interested in speaking with him, he was clearly too well conditioned and small-minded, there was no helping that. Instead she stood before his wife who was still shielding her son from view. Valerie looked the Zebra right in the eyes and held the striped woman's gaze. "If you have any honor as a mother, you'll let me talk to your son."

Mrs. Zacora looked curiously at the vixen. Valerie didn't blink.

"Arby." Mrs. Zacora barked without looking away from Valerie. "Tell me you didn't do anything to that fox boy."

Arbez gripped his mother's leg tighter as his eyes filled with unshed tears. "I-I... Well... Sam said..." 

Valerie knelt down to the little zebra's level and gave him the kindest look she could muster in her present state. "Tell me what happened. Please. I promise I won't hurt you."

She could feel Mrs. Zacora's shocked expression, no doubt expecting a fox to be anything but amiable. Valerie suddenly felt very tired. Arbez peeked from behind the leg, but he didn't look her in the eyes. "Double promise?"

Deep breaths. "Double promise."

He finally let go of his mother's leg and stood before Valerie, eyes fixed on the floor between them. "Well... Sam said that if we didn't do something then Nick might try to hurt us." Arbez looked up in panic. "But we didn't mean to hurt him! Just scare him a bit y'know? Show him who's boss."

"Did Nick ever make you feel scared?" Valerie interrupted.

Arbez's eyes widened. "Uh... no ma'am."

She sighed. "Okay, what happened next?"

"Andy said that foxes have big teeth so Sam said we should try tying his mouth shut, but no one wanted to get close enough to him to do it."

At this point Mrs. Zacora's scarlet face was covered by her hooves, but that didn't stop Arbez from continuing.

"That's when Harry saw it."

"Saw what, hun?"

Arbez glanced nervously at his mother before whispering "The muzzle."

Valerie closed her eyes.

_Of course._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos and comments so far, it's really nice and motivating! And sorry the prologue was so short, it is a prologue after all. If you want long chapters then this is the right fic for you I promise, I just need to find a groove first. And do not fret, Judy isn't in this chapter but she will appear soon enough!
> 
> Update: March 19th, 2016. Note some edits were made, instead of having ferrets harass young Valerie I chose otters. *evil smile*
> 
> Metum = Fear


	3. Silentium

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: I changed the ferrets to otters in the last chapter, in case you're wondering why Valerie is suddenly seeing otters...

The Wilde household was anything but wild. Penny watched Nick go from sitting quietly in his room to laying quietly on the couch in the living room. She tried asking him questions like "Wanna have a snack?" or "What about a movie?" but he wouldn't even spare her a glance. Oh but wait, now he was sitting quietly... in the bathroom. Seems he's changing things up a bit.

She might have found his silence a blessing were it not so out of character.

"Little Slick!" Penny called out from the hallway. "You've been in there a while now, you okay in there?"

It was no surprise to Penny when she received no response from the little fox, if Val couldn't get him to speak then she highly doubted that she could.

Penny laid her hoof on the door and tried to think of something to say. What do you say to a child who won't talk? Do you ask them a lot of questions? Do you leave them alone? Was it different with foxes or...

Penny stopped that thought and groaned. She had never taken any psychology courses, she was just a babysitter, not a therapist! But that didn't prevent her from feeling guilty for not knowing how to help the little guy. She had been his babysitter for years, shouldn't she know him well enough by now? Was she really that useless?

"Listen, I know you aren't talking right now but I still need to know if you're alive. So if you could... knock twice if you're alright and once if you're not?"

She waited, but nothing happened.

"Okay, now I'm really worried." Penny took a step away from the door and willed herself not to get emotional. "I don't... I don't know how to deal with this, kid. I'm not good at comforting people, most of the time I'm the one who needs it."

She let herself sit with her back against the wall and looked up to see a framed picture on the wall opposite to her; it was a nice photo of Nick and Val, the younger was laughing in tears as he was being tickled by his mother. She remembered that day, she was the one who took the picture. It was just really nice to see the two being so playful and carefree, and Val's smile was reaching her eyes for once. Penny had to capture that moment forever. Nick looked so happy...

She heard a wet hiccup and realized it was her own, she was tearing up apparently. She wiped at her eyes in embarrassment before trying again.

"Nick, you would tell me if I did something wrong... right? Cause like, I know I'm not family or anything but I really care about you. I never had any siblings so..." Penny cleared her throat. "You're like, the closest thing to a little brother I've got. I was there when you started school and when you ate your first blueberry pie..." Penny giggled through the tears that were now falling from her eyes. "Your whole face lit up and it was like watching a vacuum, I looked away for five seconds and half the pie was gone... That was a good day." She sniffled. "I know I'm not a fox so... there's things I don't really get. Like why your mama started my interview with 'you know I'm a fox right?' or why she always keeps the door locked. And sometimes I'll say something and she'll go all stiff, but she never says anything about it.

"You don't hate me do you? For bein' a... a stupid moose? Cause I don't hate you." Penny let out a sob.

"Did... did I do something wrong, Slick? Why won't you say anything?"

The door to the bathroom opened and Nick ran directly into Penny's lap. She looked down in shock at the kid and almost forgot he was considered a predator, he looked so small and scared. She wrapped her arms around his tiny body and held him close. Nick curled up and gripped her shirt with his small paws. He wasn't making a sound but she could feel his tears and they made her stomach roll with guilt. 

They stayed like that in the hallway until Nick fell asleep in Penny's arms. He looked peaceful, but her neck was cramping up from her position on the floor. Carefully, she gathered him up in her arms and made her way to his bedroom, tucking him into bed. He must have been exhausted because he didn't even stir. Val still wasn't home yet but Penny didn't care about her plans anymore, being here for these two was now more important than seeing a movie with her friends. 

No more than five minutes later, Valerie unlocked the door and entered to find the tear-stained moose in her kitchen. Penny's movements seemed sluggish, like her limbs weighed more than they ought to. When she spotted the vixen standing in the doorway however it was like a burst of nervous energy surged through her because she was at her side within seconds, babbling a mile a minute.

"Miss Wilde I'm glad you're home it feels like it's been hours but I know it's really only been like thirty minutes, I swear I'm gonna go insane he hasn't spoken at all and I might have made him cry and I don't know what to do-"

"Shh Penny calm down, what happened? Did you say you made him cry?"

Her head slumped in shame. "Yeah, I started crying then he started crying and basically there was a lot of crying."

Valerie nodded in understanding. "Nick always cries when others do, it's just the way he is..." She smiled sadly. "My little angel..."

Penny's head snapped up. "So did you figure out what's wrong?"

Valerie looked gravely at Penny. "Yeah... I did. Penny, if I have my facts right, we won't hear Nicky's voice for a while."

"Who did this? Are they in trouble for it?"

"Oh yes, I made sure they all got suspended and were given a stern lecture on the danger of muzzles."

Penny's expression turned to horror. "Muzzles?"

"I'll explain everything later," The vixen threw her purse on the couch and began walking to Nick's room. "First, I need to be with my son."

"Good luck Ms. W." she heard Penny call out.

She froze, then went back to the living room and rummaged through her purse. "I'm so sorry Penny I almost forgot to pay you for today."

"Hold up Val- I mean, Ms. W." Penny fretted. "Is he gonna need to see a doctor or something?"

Valerie stared at the moose. "I was thinking of calling Dr. Oskar just to take a look at him. Why?"

Penny glanced in the direction of Nick's room. Her jaw clenched decisively, then she took both of Valerie's paws in her hooves and said, "Keep it."

Valerie frowned. "You don't need to do that."

"Yes, I do."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Penny wasn't trying to be difficult she was just trying to help. And what was the harm in accepting this one gesture of kindness? Especially with everything that happened...

"I'm paying you back one day and you're not allowed to stop me." 

"Fair enough."

Valerie placed a paw on Penny's shoulder and sent her a grateful look before she took her leave. The silence after the moose left was heavy. There was no one but her, her silent child, and one door standing between them. She sighed and walked to the hallway outside Nick's room. 

This wasn't an easy situation. Now that she knew what really happened she just felt more paranoid that she might say the wrong thing. Where was the line between being comforting and being overbearing? When did encouraging him to talk turn into guilt tripping him for being silent? She didn't want to make him feel like he was being attacked by his own mother, but the truth of the matter was that he needed to learn to cope with what happened. Visions of otters standing over her flashed before her eyes. No one knew what he was going through, but maybe she was the only one in his life who could truly relate. 

Valerie knocked on the door twice. There was no answer. Obviously.

"Nicky, it's me. I'm coming in."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Nick. Also Penny. And Valerie.
> 
> Silentium = silence.


End file.
